Method of making metallic network

ABSTRACT

Wires to form network are wound about abutments into desired configuration. Wires crossing at abutments are then fastened together simultaneously, e.g., by twisting.

United States Patent Meynard METHOD OF MAKING METALLIC NETWORK lnventor: Alain Meynard, 133 bis, quai des Chartrons, Bordeaux, France, 1 33300 Filed: Aug. 2, 1974 Appl. No.: 494,188

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 332,423. Feb. 14, 1973, abandoned.

Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 17, 1972 France 72.06180 U.S. Cl 140/921; 140/115 Int. Cl B211 27/06 Field of Search 140/6, 9, 71, 92.1, 113,

[ July 15, 1975 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 113,779 4/1871 Latham 140/71 1,086,664 2/1914 Havens 140/921 1,155,729 10/1915 Holdred 140/71 1,219,622 3/1917 Brooks 140/71 1,936,931 11/1933 Bradley 140/6 Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brisebois & Kruger 1 1 ABSTRACT Wires to form network are wound about abutments into desired configuration. Wires crossing at abutments are then fastened together simultaneously, e.g., by twisting.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures METHOD OF MAKING METALLIC NETWORK This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 332,423, filed Feb. [4, 1973, now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of manufacturing metallic mesh sleeves, which method permits them to be assembled while flat. In the known methods of manufacture the sleeves are produced by hand. The wires which constitute the sleeve are grouped in two bunches and are bent about their center to form a loop. The bunches are then connected together by a flat knot. the central hole in which is then threaded onto a mandrel at one end of a circular jig. The wires are then twisted by groups of two for a certain distance representing half the space occupied by the top of the neck of the bottle. The wires are then separated and each is guided toward a pin mounted on the jig to define a V-shapcd mesh. Each wire is fastened beneath this pin to one of the wires of the adjacent group and twisted together to form a loop. Then each wire is again directed toward another pin to be twisted together with another wire. thus producing lozenge shaped meshes. When the length and number of the meshes ofthe sleeve are sufficient. the wires which are twisted together are not again separated but are lead toward a pin and twisted with the group of wires used to make the adjacent meshes in order to reduce the bunches of wires so as to assemble them on each bottle end when they are slipped thcreover. A dozen sleeves are made on each circular jig. one on top of the other, and are extracted in groups by removing the pins and then flattened to decrease their bulk. Such processes require a great deal of time to make a sleeve as well as a lot of hand labor and it is difficult to separate a sleeve from a group when the time comes to use it.

The following process according to the invention makes it possible to avoid these disadvantages. In this process it is possible to mechanically manufacture a single flat sleeve.

The process according to the invention consists in grouping two bunches of wires made of a ferrous or non-ferrous alloy and of the same length, which is a function of the length of the sleeve to be manufactured. Each bunch is bent at its center to form a loop and the bunches are connected to each other by a flat knot in these loops. Before the knot completing the assembly is tightened it defines a central hole which can be threaded over a mandrel fixed to a jig. Then the knot is tightened on the mandrel. In other embodiments the wires may be twisted together at their centers or soldered together and the mandrel mounted on the jig is then replaced by a support.

The lengths of wire in the bunch. the number of which is dependent upon the sleeve to be manufactured, are then separated from each other and mounted on abutments fixed to the jig. The lengths of wire are mounted on the abutments in a precise order and the number of abutments used is a function of the number of lengths of wire, the dimensions of the sleeve and the shape which is to be obtained. The manner in which the wires are mounted determines the shape of the meshes. The wires on each abutment cross two by two, except at the last row of the abutmcnts, on which several wires are mounted in order to provide two bunches to facilitate their tying when they are slipped onto the bottles for use.

The wires are mounted on the abutments in two lay crs. In the first layer none of the wires cross each other. while in the second layer the wires cross those of the first layer without being interlaced therewith. They never cross at the level of the abutments. It is possible to cross the wires in each layer between the abutmcnts in order to produce the different meshes and decrease the number of abutments required to make the sleeve.

The abutments fixed to the jig in one embodiment of the invention consist of four projecting plates provided with a central opening the size of which is dependent on the diameter or thickness of the wires used. An opening between two central plates receives a movable wheel which is supported on the two lates by means of a shoulder in which the hub of the wheel is mounted and which holds the wheel in position parallel to the plate. This wheel is provided with a notch registering the hole in the plates the size of which is a function of the diameter or thickness of the wires in order to receive the latter. When all the lengths of wire are mounted on the abutmcnts the wheel is rotated by a mechanism. which may be of the rack and pinion type. or by exerting frictional force on the edge of the wheel to cause it to describe several complete turns in order to fasten the wires together by a double twist in opposite directions. The plates limit the length ofthc twisted portion. In other embodiments the twisted portion may be made b movable w heels prmided with notches fixed to an independent support which engages the wires mounted on the plates and the driving mechanism for the wheels is then fixed to the jig.

In other embodiments the twisted portions may be replaced by soldered or welded parts and the abutments then consist of only two plates provided with a central opening in which the wires are seated. and these two plates are spaced to permit the passage ofthc electrodes of the machine which will solder or weld them together. it is also possible not to fasten the wires together at their center. and thus produce a collar delined by the first twisted portion which can he slipped onto the neck of the bottles for use simply as sleeves. whereas when the wires of the sleeve are assembled at the center and slipped onto the bottle they rest on the top of the neck and on the stopper of the bottle.

The attached drawings illustrate by way of example the position of the wires over the corresponding abutments. especially when the two bunches have eight wires. as well as the details of these abutments. In these drawings:

FIG. I is a top plan view of a jig according to the invention. with two bunches of eight wires each in place;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a representative abutment;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the abutment of FIG. 2, as seen in the direction of the arrows A; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line lV-lV of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the two bunches l and 2 fastened together by a flat knot 3 which has been slipped over the mandrel 4 of the jig 5 each comprise cight lengths of wire and the jig has twenty-six abutments l4-39 fixed to the table 5. In a preferred order the lengths of wire are mounted in the following manner: in the first place the length of wire 6 is wound between the abutments 16, 20, 23, 28, 31, 36, 39. The length of wire 7 is wound between the abutments l6,

3 18. 23. 26. 3i. 34, 38. The length of wire 8 is wound between the abutments l4, I8, 22, 26, 30. 34, 38. The length of wire 9 is wound between the abutments l4. 19. 22. 27, 30. 35. 38. The length of wire 10 is wound 3. Method of assembling a plurality of wires into a sleeve by guiding the wires through a succession of stations (14-37) arranged in a grid of transversely and longitudinally aligned rows in a substantially flat plane,

between the abutments I5. 21, 25., 29. 33, 37 39. Thfc which method comprises the steps of:

length of wire I! is wound between the abutments 15. 20. 25. 28. 33. 36. 39. The length ot'wire I2 is wound between the abutments l7, 2t, 24. 29. 32, 37. 39. The length of wire 13 is wound between the abutmcnts l7, I9. 24. 27. 32, 35. 38.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show one of the abutments in detail. As shown it consists of four plates 39, 40, 4]. 42 mounted on the table 5 and defines a recess 43 between the two plates and 41. This recess receives a toothed wheel 44 provided with a slot 45 and is mounted between the two plates 40 and 4! on a shoulder 46. The teeth 47 ofthis wheel engage a rack 48 which turns the wheel 44 when the rack is displaced by a mechanism. When the wheel turns the wires 49 and 50 are twisted. The plates 40, 41. 39 and 42 define the length of the twisted portion. When several abutments are mounted on the table 5 the wheels 14 are driven at the same speed by the simultaneous displacement of racks 48 and thus twist together in a single step the wires constituting the sleeve which are mounted on the abutments.

The process according to the invention may be used to assemble fiat metallic wires to form circular or flat sleeves. Particularly valuable applications may be found in the manufacture of metallic grillwork panels.

What is claimed is;

l. Jig for assembling a plurality of metallic wires into a network. which jig comprises a substantially flat supporting table. a mandrel projecting upwardly from said table. and a plurality of twisting stations mounted on said table. each twisting station comprising four stationary wire guides aligned in a row to guide a length of wire held by said mandrel in a selected direction. said guides being spaced longitudinally of said wire, a toothed wheel mounted to rotate in the space between the second and third guides in said row. said wheel being provided with an aperture in alignment with said guides adapted to receive a wire so that rotation of said wheel causes twisting of said wire. and means for simultaneously rotating all of said wheels.

2. Jig as claimed in claim I in which said wheel rotat ing means are racks engaging the teeth on said wheels.

A. providing a first set of wires (6, 7, 11) equal in number to two less than the number of stations in a transverse row, and guiding each wire of said first set through a succession of stations in said grid along a zig-zag path in which the successive stations lie in successive transverse rows but alternate between two adjacent longitudinal rows, so that alternate stations in each longitudinal row receive at least one wire of said first set and all of said alternate stations except for the endmost stations in each transverse row receive two wires of said first set.

B. providing a second set of wires (9, l2, 13) equal in number to the wires of said first set and superimposing said second set of wires on said first set by passing the wires of said second set through a succession of stations in said grid along a similar zigzag path with two wires of said second set passing through all stations containing no wires of said first set except for those stations at the end of a transverse row, and the wires of said first set crossing the wires of said second set intermediate successive stations.

C. guiding a first edge wirc (8) through the stations at one end of each transverse row and a second edge wire (10) through the stations at the other end of each transverse row so as to provide a pair of wires passing through each end station, and

D. fastening the pairs of wires at said station together to form a tubular wire network.

4. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are fastened by being simultaneously twisted together.

5. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are fastened by being welded together.

6. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are fastened by being soldered together.

7. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are first divided into two bunches and each bunch is looped around a mandrel before said wires are guided between said stations. 

1. Jig for assembling a plurality of metallic wires into a network, which jig comprises a substantially flat supporting table, a mandrel projecting upwardly from said table, and a plurality of twisting stations mounted on said table, each twisting station comprising four stationary wire guides aligned in a row to guide a length of wire held by said mandrel in a selected direction, said guides being spaced longitudinally of said wire, a toothed wheel mounted to rotate in the space between the second and third guides in said row, said wheel being provided with an aperture in alignment with said guides adapted to receive a wire so that rotation of said wheel causes twisting of said wire, and means for simultaneously rotating all of said wheels.
 2. Jig as claimed in claim 1 in which said wheel rotating means are racks engaging the teeth on said wheels.
 3. Method of assembling a plurality of wires into a sleeve by guiding the wires through a succession of stations (14-37) arranged in a grid of transversely and longitudinally aligned rows in a substantially flat plane, which method comprises the steps of: A. providing a first set of wires (6, 7, 11) equal in number to two less than the number of stations in a transverse row, and guiding each wire of said first set through a succession of stations in said grid along a zig-zag path in which the successive stations lie in successive transverse rows but alternate between two adjacent longitudinal rows, so that alternate stations in each longitudinal row receive at least one wire of said first set, and all of said alternate stations except for the endmost stations in each transverse row receive two wires of said first set, B. providing a second set of wires (9, 12, 13) equal in number to the wires of said first set and superimposing said second set of wires on said first set by passing the wires of said second set through a succession of stations in said grid along a similar zig-zag path with two wires of said second set passing through all stations containing no wires of said first set except for those stations at the end of a transverse row, and the wires of said first set crossing the wires of said second set intermediate successive stations, C. guiding a first edge wire (8) through the stations at one end of each transverse row and a second edge wire (10) through the stations at the other end of each transverse row, so as to provide a pair of wires passing through each end station, and D. fastening the pairs of wires at said station together to form a tubular wire network.
 4. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are fastened by being simultaneously twisted together.
 5. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are fastened by being welded together.
 6. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are fastened by being soldered together.
 7. Method as claimed in claim 3 in which the wires are first divided into two bunches and each bunch is looped around a mandrel before said wires are guided between said stations. 